Photographing within the Columbia Icefields of Canada
At first glistening crunch, I knew I used to be again in my glad place. Hearing the sound of ice crunching beneath my crampons, watching because the ice sparkled earlier than my eyes, and marveling as my thoughts tried to soak within the immense magnificence because it piled in icy chunks towards the top (the highest). Glacial landscapes are an surroundings like no different, and I’m about to share how one can stroll upon one!
Athabasca Glacier in Alberta, Canada, is likely one of the most accessible glaciers on the planet. Located inside the Columbia Icefields on the Icefields Parkway, it’s roughly a one-hour drive from Jasper and two hours to Banff. While you may cruise on by and catch views from the automotive, it’s past value stopping and staring slightly longer. Or, spending just a few days gazing upon the magnificent mountainside formations in the event you’re like me and might’t bear to look away.
What makes this glacier so particular is that you simply’re capable of stand up near one thing that’s usually the results of a multi-day hike, hidden in a distant alpine valley. Glaciers are shaped when snow accumulates over time, turning to ice over many centuries, and the strain then creates a circulation impact, outward and down, slightly bit like a really slow-moving ice river. They’re present in alpine areas and shift and alter all through the seasons, calving, creeping, nevertheless, most not too long ago, receding quickly.
Not solely do the glaciers themselves change, however the surrounding panorama is shifted over time. An instance of that is seen in sharp piles of particles and rock often called lateral moraines which have been transported and carried by the glacial ice, solely to be later revealed as soon as the ice melts. Lateral moraines are seen alongside the glacier, and Athabasca Glacier has some nice examples of this course of.
When visiting the Athabasca Glacier, you may take a brief, self-guided hike to the foot of the glacier, accessible by way of a carpark simply off the Icefields Parkway, or, you may take issues one very thrilling step additional.
You can stroll upon the glacier itself which is one thing I wholeheartedly suggest anybody does in the event you’re snug mountain climbing for roughly 5km. It’s this expertise I wish to share with you at the moment from my latest journey with IceWalks on their half-day basic tour.
Just to notice, whereas protected within the presence of a educated information, strolling solo on a glacier is extraordinarily harmful with hidden crevasses, collapsible sections, and probably fast-moving sections making a maze of obstacles, principally invisible to the untrained eye. It’s at all times suggested to stroll on a glacier with a educated professional, ideally a mountaineering information that’s had years of expertise exploring these treacherous but stunningly stunning environments.
The staff at IceWalks have been strolling upon Athabasca Glacier since 1985 underneath the management of Peter Lemieux, an ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides) ski information. After 36yrs on the ice, Peter transitioned possession of the corporate to a different member of the ACMG and long-term IceWalks information Corin Lohmann, and his spouse Megan. It’s Corin I had the pleasure of strolling with just a few weeks again on the opening weekend of their excursions in 2023.
It’s one factor to take a look at a glacier and be amazed by its measurement, element, and sheer magnificence, it’s one other to study and listen to tales from somebody who has devoted their life to this panorama.
Actually, I’m leaping forward now…let’s return to the beginning of the day.
When reserving a tour with IceWalks, they’ll equip you with every part wanted to make sure your security on the glacier. Hiking boots are really helpful, however in the event you don’t have any, they’ve bought a van stuffed with all sizes to package you out. There’s a pair of crampons for everybody, gloves, jackets, and even waterproof pants in the event you want them. Of course, you may put on your individual gear too, I solely used a pair of crampons as I had the remainder with me.
There are two occasions provided for the half-day basic tour, I opted for the 10am tour as we had been staying in Jasper and it was only a brief drive down the parkway. Alternatively, you can even keep on the close by campgrounds in summer time, or the Glacier View Hotel the place I additionally stayed an evening and beloved the view and really snug beds! In addition to this there’s a 2pm tour, or in the event you’re after a full-day deluxe tour these kick off at 9:30am. Indigenous-led excursions are additionally provided on particular dates all through the season, you should definitely verify their web site right here.
The tour begins with a brief shuttle trip all the way down to the trailhead by Sunwapta Lake. From right here, a 15-min stroll takes you towards the toe of the glacier, the place the bottom level meets rocky terrain and lateral moraines. Stopping at a cultured chunk of limestone, Corin shared how the motion of the glacier impacts the encircling rock. Layers revealing centuries of change are evident, and as I wrote earlier, it’s made all the higher to have somebody share the scientific and geological info about what you’re seeing.
Onward, we cross a meltwater stream and inside minutes are on the ice. Despite ‘glacial blue’ being essentially the most related color of glaciers, they surprisingly characteristic a spectrum of hues, starting from deep white, brown, and black to an array of icy blues, mild to deep. A combination of mud, ash, sedimentary rocks and minerals are layered inside the ice, then as in pictures, mild performs a key function in what we see on the ice. One very seen means of how mild, rock and ice work collectively is seen in tiny pockets and holes throughout the glacier. Due to the darker hue of the rock, typically as small as a pebble, the warmth of the solar warms the rock, in flip melting the ice round it.
Another fascinating color reality is how rock flour creates the colourful blue color we see and are drawn to {photograph} in glacial lakes. Rock flour is created when the glacier advances throughout the bedrock, dragging rocks and boulders, grinding them down right into a advantageous flour substance. The flour then will get into the water system and when hit with daylight, absorbs all the colors of the rainbow and solely displays the blues and the greens.
Photographing on the Ice –
I’m a robust believer in having fun with any outside expertise earlier than trying to take images. Soak all of it in, go searching, after which contemplate the way you wish to seize the scene. Now, I say that, but when anybody noticed me in motion, I used to be one snap-happy photographer up on the Athabasca Glacier, though I had spent just a few hours the day prior simply staring and conjuring up picture concepts.
To seize nice photographs on the ice, it’s essential to think about your composition, the weatherproofing of your gear, and lens decisions to make sure you’re able to have some enjoyable. You’ll additionally wish to be aware to not lag behind an excessive amount of whereas on the glacier, primarily because of security causes and following the trail your information makes. It’s not likely the place to arrange your tripod and take your time, it’s a snap-on-the-go sort of exercise, however there are breaks which let you decelerate slightly.
Composition Tips when capturing the Athabasca Glacier/Glacial Landscapes:
- Look for components like ice and water to incorporate inside your picture, stand up shut (if protected to take action) to the glacial meltwater streams and incorporate them in your shot.
- Leading traces are an ideal characteristic when capturing glaciers, use them to compose your picture and have the traces of the glacier lead the viewers eye into the body.
- Keep an eye fixed out for particulars, glowing ice, tiny holes, patterns, colors and the distinction between rock and ice.
- Including individuals in your shot is a good way to showcase perspective and visually symbolize simply how huge a glacial panorama is. On the day of my hike, we may see a distant group of mountaineers, apparently, they had been just a few hours’ stroll forward of us, kilometers away in truth, which gave additional proof of simply how immense the Athabasca Glacier is.
- If your digital camera has the power, swap over to the hand held high-resolution mode (each my OM-1 and E-M1 MKIII have this) to make sure you’re creating picture recordsdata stuffed with the intricate particulars of the glacier.
What Gear I Photographed With –
I took two cameras and three lenses with me on the half-day ice stroll. When mountain climbing, I want to make use of two our bodies and pop on versatile lenses so I can simply shoot all through the day with out altering lenses or fiddling an excessive amount of, particularly if there’s no the place to essentially cease.
Body 1: The OM SYSTEM OM-1 with the 40-150mm f2.8 professional lens.
Body 2: The OM SYSTEM/Olympus OM-D E-M1 MKIII with the 12-40mm f2.8 professional lens.
Once I’d captured quite a lot of photographs, for the stroll again down the glacier, I switched out the 12-40mm lens and relaced it with the 7-14mm f2.8 professional lens to seize some wider pictures of the panorama. This labored very well to stand up near the meltwater streams and since the digital camera has unimaginable weatherproofing, I knew just a few splashes wouldn’t do any hurt.
You can see under what a distinction in focal lengths make.
Image taken with the 12-40mm f2.8 lens at a focal size of 40mm. Note the street within the background and examine it with the following picture.
Image captured with the 7-14mm f2.8 extensive angle lens, providing a a lot wider view of the panorama and making individuals seem far smaller.
Who can do that hike?
If you’re able to strolling round 5km on typically uneven terrain with a slight incline, you are able to do this hike. I’m not an excellent match explorer, only a common gal who loves photographing open air and tries to remain match (by strolling/swimming, ain’t no working/fitness center periods right here). All up, the half-day hike was round 3 hours and also you’re out on the ice for many of this.
Should I be anxious about security on the glacier?
As with all outside adventures, the circumstances play an element and typically nature might be unpredictable, however I promise the second you meet your information, you’ll be put relaxed by their professionalism and information. The staff at IceWalks are educated in all features of mountain operations from avalanche danger evaluation and rescue to crevasses rescue, with the experience to know the place to stroll, and naturally, the place to not stroll! You can examine their story and see information profiles right here.
What about different tour operators on the Columbia Icefields?
When visiting the Columbia Icefields middle, you’ll see a bunch of tour choices accessible. I opted to hike with IceWalks (solely bookable on-line) as a result of they’re a small, family-run enterprise who deal with group excursions with a restricted capability, guaranteeing you’re getting a extra in-depth and personalised expertise.
I did see giant buses driving alongside the glacier close by, and whereas they do additionally stroll on the glacier and can be superb for anybody who can’t handle the longer stroll because of well being considerations, it solely seems to offer entry in a small space and also you’re alongside numerous different guests.
How to guide your tour with IceWalks –
Jump on to their web site and browse the choices to pick out an appropriate date and time in your journey, as I famous earlier, I used to be on the half-day basic tour. They’re additionally providing an ‘Ice and Water’ mixture in the event you’re eager to mix slightly glacier stroll with a rafting journey the next day, or vice versa.
The excursions are provided within the spring/summer time months as soon as it’s protected to entry the glacier on foot. This yr the season kicked off on May 20th, nevertheless because of seasonal climate patterns, it’s at all times value checking their web site to see which date the season will begin in 2024.
One factor to notice – I can’t think about anybody leaving this expertise and never contemplating it one in every of their favorite days open air. While I’ve been fascinated with glaciers since my time in Greenland, my sister was additionally with me on this hike and famous it was presumably the most effective expertise she’s ever had within the mountains.
Lastly, an enormous thanks to Corin and the IceWalks staff for internet hosting us on this half-day tour. It was so insightful, inspiring and enjoyable. You made our time within the Canadian Rockies so memorable and we’ll completely be again once more to step it up a notch and do the full-day journey.
Before you go, in the event you’re eager about associated content material, click on on by to those guides –
Glacier Lodge Eqi – Sleep Beside a Calving Glacier in Greenland
Photographing Inside an Ice Cave, Vatnajokull Glacier, Iceland
Landscape Photography – Capturing Details inside a Scene
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*Please word, this text does embody 1 x affiliate hyperlink for the Glacier View Hotel. I used to be a paying visitor of this resort and am merely recommending it as a result of it was a lovely room, ideally situated for entry to the glacier and exploring with IceWalks! Any affiliate fee goes towards making this web site and all free content material shared doable!
Hello! I’m the founder and photographer behind The Wandering Lens.
With 17+yrs expertise as knowledgeable journey and panorama photographer, all recommendation discovered on this web site is from my private expertise on the street. I hope it’s helpful in your personal travels and would love to listen to within the feedback about your journeys and experiences all over the world.